We all fall down
by ObligatoryViking
Summary: A strange girl is given a menial job at the opera house to make ends meat. She has a shattered memory that starts to revile itself slowly as she leads her new life. Rated for attempted suicide. Hopefully not a Mary Sue. Though it's a bit early to tell.
1. Chapter 1

Sarah felt the rope loop gently around her neck, light and ticklish like a cobweb. She knew in her mind that this was insane. She had a good life and people who loved her very much. It wasn't as if she ever went to bed wondering if there would be food on the table the next day. It wasn't like her parents yelled at her or hit her EVER. She had plenty of friends who truly enjoyed her company. But although she knew these things in her mind, her heart couldn't grasp the truth.

It was so cold. She lived her life in uncertainty, never able to believe in anything completely.

In the end the truth had jumped out at her like a jack in the box, and it had scared the hell out of her. She couldn't love. She knew others loved her but try as she might she could not feel love towards them, and it was killing her.

The doctors had tolled her that it was common depression, and had prescribed medication. For a while it had kept her dark thoughts away, but she still never felt whole. There was a huge piece of her that was missing and she couldn't live anymore with out it. It was far too painful. She wanted to love. To love in all it's beautiful ways. She wanted to love her parents; She wanted to love her friends. But in the end no amount of medication had helped her feel.

So she decided that some ware in the next few minutes, she would stop trying to. She wasn't going to leave a note. She was just going to do it before she got too scared. Her Heart was pounding loudly, her pulse sounding like thunder in her ears. Her parents were out grocery shopping; She was alone and scared to death at what she was about to do. Finally she decided it was time. Like a kid downing a spoonful of medicine as fast as possible to be over with it, Sarah took a deep breath and kicked the chare out from under her.

Her mind was screaming with terror as she swung violently in the noose. Her eyes were wide and she felt like her head was going to explode from the pressure. The rushing blood in her ears was all that she could hear now. A voice in her mind screamed "Breath Sarah! Please breath!" Then, a kind of calm settled over her body. She no longer felt pain. How long had she been hanging there? Seamed almost like hours had passed. Dieing wasn't so bad she thought. It actually felt kind of nice! She hadn't felt this peaceful in all her life. How strange that she suddenly felt so tired. "You'll never wake up again Sarah. Won't that be nice? Just like a nap"

She felt herself sinking. Falling ever so slowly. There was no more pressure from the rope. She felt the ends her long red hair slowly lift up and tickle her face. She was falling, and it felt nicer than anything she had ever experienced before.

When her parents arrived home with the groceries they called Sarah to help them carry them in. Her father had rented her favorite movie and bought her favorite dinner, planning to give her a nice surprise. But they heard no movement from her room. Finally they went up the stares. It was possible that she was napping. Sarah's door was slightly ajar and her father pushed on it lightly so as not to make it squeak. The pail evening light bathed everything in blue and added to the eeriness of the scene before him. A chare lay on its side, kicked to the far wall, and a noose was swaying from side to side, completely empty.

A/N

Sorry. I am feeling particularly morbid today. And rather than actually going and hanging myself I thought I would write about someone ells doing it.

I have never hung myself before (duh) But I did almost drown once. That was not attempted suicide but a swimming accident.

All the stuff about dying came from that. Also I find that not actually being able to feel emotions like love is the absolute hardest thing about having depression.

Now! As for why the noose was empty. No she wasn't ruptured! She simply time traveled is all. (lol) I'll just say it was the infinite improbability drives fault and leave it at that. The story is going to take on a much lighter tone now so you can all relax. **everyone heaves a sigh of relief** I was never meant to write seriousness. Flame me if you want. I'm just writing this for the heck of it.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Nathan pulled his coat tighter around him as he walked back from another hard day on the job. One of the backdrops had fallen on stage during rehearsals, scaring the ballet girls out of their wits and sending the resident Diva into a screaming fit. Of course it wasn't his fault, He hadn't even been at his post! But the actors had to pin the blame on someone and a lowly young sceneshifter who happened to be close by would do nicely.

So he had gotten his head nearly bitten off by the managers while Mill. Jaclyn (the prima Dona) huffed and puffed hard enough to blow the opera house down.

He was surprised they let him keep his job at all.

He hoped Nattily had a better day than him. "I guess I'll find out when I get home won't I?" he thought.

A cold wind blew up the street and he shivered. As he trudged through the foot of new snow he thought he heard a moaning noise. "Probably the wind" But when he stopped to listen he realized that the sound was decidedly more human. He turned around and saw a girl slumped over in the snow just off in a small ally. She was not dressed for the cold; in fact he had never seen clothes like that before. She looked unconscious. Nathan walked over and bent down beside her. "Are you alright?" he asked. There was no reply. He brushed her long red hair aside. She was still breathing shallowly. She looked familiar somehow. He gasped and pulled his hand back in surprise. He couldn't believe it! He did know her. It was Claire!

Clare coughed and opened her eyes. The same bright green eyes he had loved all those years ago seamed to stare strait through him. "Claire? Claire can you hear me?" Her eyes tried to focus on him, but he saw no recognition in them. And then they were hidden again, as her eye lids slipped closed. She was unconscious again.

Nathan took his coat off and wrapped Claire up in it. Winter killed in Paris and she looked halfway to death as it was. He lifted her lithe body up in his arms and continued down to his home. Ware had she been all this time?

888

Nattily stirred the pot of stew slowly. To call it stew was a joke; it was just water with cabbage in it. She looked resentfully at it. She wished she and her brother had something more sustaining. He had a job that required strength and this bowl of mush wasn't enough to keep them healthy.

But she had to admit; She would rather be hungry and happy than full and ungrateful.

She and her brother had their problems but they still managed to find the good in life. They would probably be dead if they didn't.

Suddenly someone was pounding on the door. Nattily jumped and nearly knocked the stew over. She wiped her hands off on her apron and answered the door. Nathan had been kicking it, as his hands were full.

"Nattily get some hot water and some blankets" He commanded and walked past her, depositing his load on his bed in the corner.

"What's going on?" Asked the dumfounded girl as she filled a new pot with water and placed it on the stove.

Her brother was hunched over the person trying to get her under the covers.

"Nathan who is that?" She asked, frustrated that he would not answer her. She took the blanket off her bed and brought it over two him. When she saw the face of the person he had brought in she froze. Her eyes grew wide and she dropped the blanket.

Claire had not been seen in over two years. Even Nattily had stopped believing she would come back. Nathan grabbed the blanket she had dropped and covered the girl in it, tucking it is all around her.

"Nattily, the water is boiling. Please bring it here"

She nodded deftly and ran back over to the stove.

A/N

Claire is really Sarah, Incase you didn't catch on. Thank you for the reviews. They spur me on to write more! Hint hint ;) But for once I think this is the only fan fic that I have a basic plot for so that helps with updates too. Lol. Just so you know the phantom WILL be in this! I promise. But it will be much later. No one ells from the book or movie will though. Except for maybe Nadir.


	3. Chapter 3

It was unbearably hot. She felt the wait of heavy blankest on top of her. She was damp with sweat and her throat felt sore and bruised.

Slowly she opened her eyes, the room appearing to spin and throb. It was dark except for the light of dying embers in a softly glowing fireplace. She heard voices, soft and indistinct. Turning her head she saw two shadowy figures taking in the far corner of the room.

She tried to talk to them, but her throat was dryer than she thought and all she could produce was a strangled cough.

At the sound the two people jumped and stared at her, obviously surprised.

She tried again but still an airy groan was all that came. Immediately one of them ran across the room and knelt beside her, relief and traces of concern showing in her face.

The woman took her hand and held it tightly, her blue eyes rimmed with black but shining.

"Hey, how are you feeling?" She said ribbing her arm soothingly.

"I'm… My thought is really soar." She managed to croak out.

The woman frowned. "Yeah well, that's probably due to the huge bruise you have on your neck. Can you tell me how you got it?"

The lost look in the young girls eyes deepened. "I… I can't remember."

The woman nodded. "Do you remember me Claire? I'm Nattily." She asked quietly.

The girls looked surprised. She closed her eyes and thought. "I don't think so… Is… Is my name Claire?"

Nattilys' face contorted in surprise. She was completely stunned by Claire's words.

"Nattily!" A mails voice called from across the room.

"Let her get some rest. You don't want her getting any sicker."

Nattily nodded her head and patted Claire's hand before rising and walking across the room. She sat on her bed and took out some knitting things.

Claire's mind was a whirl with activity. Why couldn't she remember anything? Even her name? Had something happened to her? She lifted her arm with grate difficulty and rubbed her neck. Yes there was defiantly a bruise there, she winced. Maybe someone had tried to kill her. Suddenly images came back to her. Just a picture of a rope. Although she had much to work through she just couldn't keep her eyes open anymore. It was a short, hopeless battle against sleep. It finally overpowered her and her world went black again.

888

When it looked like Claire had finally fallen asleep Nathan walked over and sat beside his sister. Nattily had tears in her eyes that she quickly tried to hide from her brother. Although she knew that he had seen them. He wrapped his arm around her and she leaned into his comforting embrace.

"She didn't even recognize me." She whispered. "I've thought about her every day, Wondering ware she was, if she was aright. But now she doesn't remember anything!" She sniffled and rubbed her eyes. "Not a thing!"

Nathan shushed her and rubbed her back. "It's okay" He whispered calmingly. "It's not her fault. It's not like that at all. Did you see the bruise on her neck?"

Nattily nodded, whipping away more tears.

"Well" He continued. "I'm sure I've seen that sort of wound before…"

Nattily looked up into his face, her eyes wide with surprise.

"A while ago, at the opera house, there was a man. Bouquet I think his name was. Well you remember the night Debienne and Poligny Retired? Tyler and I had gone down below to… Well… Truthfully to get blind drunk. But anyway when we got to the third cellar and sat down to drink, Tyler suddenly got very quiet and when I asked him what was wrong he just pointed behind me. So I turned around and there was M Bouquet! Hanging by a noose in between two sets!"

Nattily gasped.

"So anyway Tyler ran up above to get help and I went to cut him down. When I finally DID get him down I took the rope off and he had the most hideous wound wrapping all the way around his neck. I never forgot it. To this day I see that scar in nightmares. And I saw it again when I found Claire. I'm pretty sure she was hung Nattily! Or at least almost strangled with some sort of rope."

Nattily looked over at her sleeping friend, a barely distinguishable shadow buried in her blankets. "Poor Claire… Who would do something like that?" She asked quietly.

"I don't know." Said Nathan. "But if I ever find them…" He left off. Murder in his normally gentle eyes.

AN:

There is no excuse for my tardiness. All I can do is

A Let you all know that I am in fact still alive.

And

B Run away as fast as I can from all the people I promised a speedy update to so that I may remain alive!


End file.
